Physical Fitness and Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Pain amongst Dentists and Dental Students in Mumbai City: A Questionnaire-based, Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction: Musculoskeletal pain is one of the most common complaints amongst dental healthcare professionals by virtue of the precision of work demanded from them, which leads to unnatural, static postures and repetitive precise movements. Objective: The current study was designed to determine the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain and the level of physical activity in dentists and current dental students in the city of Mumbai, India and if any correlation exists between the two. Materials and Methods: In the current cross-sectional study, a questionnaire containing twelve questions was circulated to 600 dentists and current dental students across Mumbai city by the means of WhatsApp® messages, Facebook® messages and email. Results: The current study showed that, 82.10% dentists and dental students had suffered musculoskeletal pain in the last 24 months with 20.79% of respondents reporting the pain to be severe enough for them to stop the practice of dentistry at least temporarily. 78.82% of the respondents took a break during their work. The level of physical activity was 26.21% and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain was significantly less in dentists and dental students who indulged in physical activity. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of musculoskeletal pain in the dentists and dental students in Mumbai city and a low prevalence of physical activity in them. There is a direct correlation in the level of physical activity and the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain.